Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-10-20


the bul,lin. up 81 the excellent institutions
which arr the GROWING glory ri our Amer
lean continent. 1t has been my pleasure
to know Mrs. Fergus for nearly "a quarter
Of y century. She was not Obtrusive. and
il required a familiar acquaintance to de-
tect the lofty courage the woman pos
s~sscd, the nd-iity which she manifested ON
all oceasious, the Astounding hospitality
which made her house IA Mecca for the
weary through all the yearsoI our history,
and the most admirable loyalty which at
all tirnsr held her rs the needle Z" the pole
The state Of New York by many muni-
ments Of title has the prinacy among the
States of the American Union. Within her
borders ARE sacred places; her history is
crowned with renowned deeds and adorned
with illustrious names. Her daughters
and sons going forth Ia do the world .
battle are charged by the obligations on
tradition and lineage to do high duty Tor
mankind. to I've in the forefront Of every
battle where justice leads the way. IL has
always seemed tn me that Mrs Fergus ear
ried into her life the inspiration ~ her
nativity. She was armed rs u warrior for
the discharge of every duty, and her habit
OF checrfulness WAS onnipresent
1t seems to me that our civilization for
many centuries has been engaged in sur
rounding this article Of death with all the
uOFrOr0 Win WHICH " couIu Tvs fHtbH-
passed. And yet IL we shall stop for u
moment to consider. il cannot betrue that
death il uukin1. II We could from some
high mountain top III space aud time wit
mess the great prOccssissn III hun,a nit y from
age to age aud eee how in a never-entling
reries Of actr it's elimination in the excel
lence 81 to-day and that it gives us prom
ise of greater good and better life in the
ages that are to come, We certainly should
f..x.1 hat i'm al
unkininess. Nature is never unkinsl. The
cha nges which take place upon the bosom,
Of this mother earth are n part aud parcel
Of the great procession. each essential to
the other. and there 10 rs much Occasion
for tears over the birth Of an infant rs
over the death Of AN Octogenerian. 1t
therefore il becoming ! think, that We
shall cease to paint death as something
horrible. and that we shall So far as in us
lies undertake to abolish a childish horror
Of il that territies the ignorent and makes
"a specticle which no one desires to behold.
Certainly for this friend Of ours, with her
gmrnered sheaves through years Of toll.
years Of discharge of affectionate duty.
years also. alas. III pain. this supreme end
which has come IL not punishment, and
while we cannot but regret our loss, we
must at once ba nish the thought that the
ending was unkind to her or is unkind to
us. Mrs. Fergus, more than most oil
women whom we knew in the earlier times
Of Montana. has had dema nds made upon
her courage. and she has always met them
in spirit Of absolute fidelity. From this
town, where she lived score 81 years ago.
she went down to encourage ana become "a
part of a settlement where savage Indians
hut year before. II ] remember rightly.
appea red and startled Us by their career
Of murder aud massacre. There WAS no
unbensling. no unwOmanly complaint.
She was willing to accept whatsOsver OF
responsibility the position and the duty
required. Later in her history she was
freq uently subject to the same danger from
On wage tribes that she first experienced in
Minnesota.
1t was the hope Of the husband, children.
grandchildren. her friends aud acquaint-
ances, who were almost innumer,sble, that
for years To come in the quiet 81 a well de-
served repOss she should reap some Of the
honOrs which her labors. her services and
her high courage so richly entitled her to
enjoy.
We have come together to-day to place
her in the bosOm Of earth. there to sleep
leaving behind her grateful memory. and
we place her to-day in cur most sacred
PanthaGAaaL thu classified aia4ashaad- n tho
pioneer women Of America. II from her
coffin could come words expressive Ot the
most profound solitude she would say:
So live that when thy summons comes to join
The imuumerahle caravan which moves
To that mysterious relm where each shall take
His chamber In the silent halls Of death.
Thou 60 not like the quarry slave at night.
scourged to his dungeon; but. sustained and
By an unfalterine trust, approach thy grave
Like one who wraps the dsspesy ~ his couch
About him and lies down to pleasant dreams.